Look at it. Just look! Divisive as the original PlayStation 5's design was (maybe still is?), I personally love its spaceship-like looks – and the just-announced PlayStation 5 Pro takes that aesthetic and adds a visual twist in the form of a functional air-vent that gives the new model its own point of distinction.
But while it might look great, one thing I inevitably like less is the PS5 Pro's asking price: it's set to be £699/$699/AU$1,200 for the digital-only console, which goes on sale from 7 November. Add the Blu-ray disc drive – that's another £99/$79/AU$160. Oh, and there's no stand included – so that's some more cash if you want to position your PS5 Pro vertically.
But am I put off? Nope! I still want a PS5 Pro. After all, it'll be the most powerful console on the planet, I don't have space for a PC rig (nor can such a setup run Sony's exclusive PlayStation titles), and the benefit of that additional power – the graphics processor boasts 67% more compute units than the original PS5 – will mean smoother gameplay and greater fidelity too.
But here's the thing: can someone please offer interest-free credit? Like, c'mon Sony, as a UK resident I'd happily put 20% down up front and then pay the £50.84 for the next 11 months to own this mothership of all consoles.
And, no, I don't want a loan from Barclays. Or a 'Plan It' option from American Express. These third-party plans are available to many of us, of course, but my AMEX card would want £65.73 per month – netting the financial service £7.48 extra for each of those months and, well, ultimately adding almost a hundred quid more to my overall PS5 Pro purchase bill.
We speak a lot about value here at T3. Because, sure, the PS5 Pro is expensive – but it also clearly has inherent value and is a desirable product well ahead of its on-sale date. It's worth its outlay, I'm sure – and I already have a bunch of PS5 accessories that will still function with it – but I'm just trying to speak up for the people.
Chances are I'll pre-order the console anyway, as I suspect it'll have such high demand that early allocation will sell out quickly. Here's hoping there are no availability issues like with the original PS5 launch. I suspect the price point may limit that somewhat, but with the PS Portal also super-difficult to obtain upon its release, Sony PlayStation kit is hot property right now...
